Criminal Findings

Tomoyo woke up the next day feeling vaguely sore in places she had never really felt before. But after she rushed into Eriol's arms the night before she had grown up in more than one way and now was feeling the effects. On the very thought about what she had done so shamelessly, and so illegally -in more than one way, she blushed scarlet and thanked whatever deity could hear her that she had the day off thanks to exam exemptions.

After a long relaxing bath she returned to reading the four hundred year old journal. She had nearly finished it and found it quite fascinating, though not for exactly normal reasons. Not only was she learning that she wasn't the only one who had magic so oddly put upon them, but she also felt a vague familiarity with the writing. It felt almost like she was talking and she found comfort in it since she had never kept one herself. She was so wrapped up in it that she didn't notice the time until Mikkoku appeared at her door with a tea set.

"Wow. Time flies."

"I guess. Come sit."

"No, set up on the bed. It will support a few tea cups on saucers without spilling."

"Tsk, tsk, inviting a man into your bed. So improper."

"Yeah, on grounds of pedophilia."

"No comment."

She just laughed and poured their tea with a skill and practice that she never even thought about. It had been almost three full months since she had come to this odd place and she couldn't be more glad of it. She felt this was home, at last, HER home.

"So you already start your break?"

"Exemptions. 'Cause I'm smart."

"That and you play tonsil hockey with one of your teachers."

"Because I'm smart. But break doesn't start yet. There is one last day of 'classes' after exams. Have to go to school then."

"That is evil."

"Ah, I'm not the only one who thinks so. Good."

"What are you doing for break?"

"Sleeping. You?"

"Planning world domination."

"That's all?"

"In all dimensions."

"Have fun."

It was when she finished the journal that night that Tomoyo finally realized why the words were so familiar and were so comforting. She had finally recognized the sense of humour and phraseology behind the way the pages were written. So, without further ado, she marched all the way across the house and knocked on Mikkoku's door at ten o'clock at night.

Groggily he opened the door, obviously half asleep. As Tomoyo looked at him, he suddenly looked older. Maybe it was the fact that with only a robe half on his upper body was far better formed than anyone his age should have been. But then, his age was a relative judgment.

"What do you need Tomoyo?"

"You are four hundred, and probably more, years old."

He just looked at her for a long moment then looked as if the light finally dawned in the eternally dark house.

"That stupid journal."

"Did you think I was stupid? That I wouldn't be able to figure it out? IS that why you let me read it?"

He yawned. "No, you just thought I changed a bit through the years. Besides, I never kept the fact that I only look young a secret."

"Okay saying you are not really ten and being...40 times older than that is vaguely different."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm sorry. I would have told you eventually if you hadn't figured it out."

"And why ten anyway?"

"I was bored. Someone bet me I couldn't stay as a child for a few months. You came the day before the bet ended."

"...Okay. And at the ball? How does all this work?"

He looked at her like she was insane for talking about this when he obviously wanted to sleep. "Come in and sit down."

"Now who's being improper?"

"Shut up and listen." He stretched out in the chair opposite her, with the dying fire glancing off the sides of his face and the dark sky, again raining, fell in the window behind him. Tomoyo felt stupid for ever thinking that he could be remotely near any age she had guessed. This was a man who had the feel of being everywhere and seeing everything. A man of the world.

"Now, grasshopper, the twenty or so most powerful magick users are more or less immortal. We can be killed by certain methods after we reach our magick and by any mortal way before we do. Because of this it's physically impossible for our body to really age along with us. As such we get to pick and choose our ages. What we look like is a physical representation of what we would look like at a physical age. I'm currently physically eleven, not ten, and at the ball I was physically nineteen. Do you understand all this?"

"...So how old is Syaoran-san?"

"250 even."

She winced. "I feel like an idiot."

"No, but that does make him a pedophile a few more times over now doesn't it?"

At that thought Tomoyo couldn't help but giggle. "Yeah." Then she grew thoughtful. "Oh, and who is this girl you were supposed to be with."

Mikkoku stood up. "No. Not tonight. I will not discuss my personal things with you when I want to sleep."

"Yeah, yeah," she threw over her shoulder as she left his room, "None of my business."

He smiled at the closed door. "Rather the opposite actually."

Tomoyo had a similar confrontation with Syaoran the next day. It was more interesting than Mikkoku's because she had actually gone to school with this two hundred and fifty year old man. That was really mind warping enough for her to wonder if wandering out in the rain might help. But it was also funny as he tried to explain it away, especially to Sakura who overheard the conversation. She was quite astonished at his real age and felt, too, a bit dirty, if that was possible for such a pure and young a child.

However, finally, Tomoyo confronted Mistress Mei Lin. Mistress began to laugh very hard when Tomoyo asked how old SHE was. The lady never did tell but she did finally divulge some of the history of the Boarding House. She had been chosen by the original owner to run it. It had been around for nearly three hundred and twenty years and had serviced anybody who needed help, who had magick, since she had been there. She also explained that she was among the top twenty, yes, but she had less control on which age she could choose. For her she was only allowed to change age every few years or so unlike Mikkoku who could change at the drop of a hat.

So Tomoyo went to bed the last day before the last day of school much more informed than she had been the day before and in a lot better humour about how things were.

She had promised to meet Eriol in his office at six. She had explained to Mistress that she wouldn't be home for dinner. She had carefully wrapped the sweater she had half made, half conjured, for his Christmas present. She had carefully made sure that her long hair was brushed out to its fullest, that her short plaid skirt looked good, her socks were up and that her sweater was not an issue.

But she was nervous. It was the first time they would even talk since they had...shown their love. Their relationship was so very strange. It had progressed ridiculously quickly and was only barely dotted with them being an actual couple. But look what it had already progressed to? Both physical and emotional. She didn't know what to expect now and was nervous because of it. And when she was nervous she walked fast. So fast that she came to the door ten minutes early. True that he had always stressed that she not be early because someone might still be around, but she knew all the teachers and students were gone now.

When she glanced in the small window in his door she noticed that he was changing his shirt. Since she had merely unbuttoned it in their last encounter she relished being able to watch him when he didn't realize it. But she had only been watching a moment before he turned his back to her completely.

Then she dropped the carefully wrapped gift and impulsively stepped away from the door and almost ran some ways down the hallway.

On that muscular back she saw he had a tattoo. An exquisitely drawn tattoo of a large black bird flying up his spine. A very familiar looking tattoo. In her mind she argued that it wasn't possible, that it had to be coincidence. Her head argued her all the way to a stop and back to his door where she picked up the gift she had dropped.

It wasn't until Hiiragizawa Eriol opened the door, still buttoning his shirt, glasses off, that she looked into his eyes and knew deep in her heart. She didn't know how to react. Without a fight she let him draw her into his office and into his arms. But she couldn't move. After a moment he noticed and reached up to tilt her face back so he could look her in the eyes.

And she looked at him with eyes so full of hurt and betrayal that he knew even before she whispered the one word that said everything.

"Mikkoku."

He cursed low under his breath. "I can explain Tomoyo."

"Explain what? That you lied to me since I met you? I mean I can understand the whole older than I look, but this is different." She pulled away from him and looked at him like he was some kind of...

"I didn't think you'd ever find out about this."

"Oh and that makes it better?" she screamed. "I trusted you! ...BOTH of you! I mean god, you should have told me from the start!"

"I didn't mean to lie to you, Tomoyo."

"Bullshit, you didn't mean to lie to me. You have tried your hardest to make me believe that you were two different people. God I should have known that was why you were always on the teacher's side. I should have known all along."

"Yeah, right, Tomoyo. You are so oblivious about everything that has to do with you in a good way. You are so blind as to what everyone sees in you that you couldn't see that someone would do anything to be around you."

"What so now I'm stupid?"

"Maybe!"

"Great, and I need this from you? Someone I trusted." She paused a moment to think before getting even angrier. "Jesus, everyone else knows too don't they? Mistress Mei Lin and Syaoran-san, what about Sakura-chan?"

"Well, Sakura-chan doesn't..."

Tomoyo let out a stream of curses that embarrassed even herself. But at that point she didn't care. The two people she cared about most had been lying to her since the very first, ironically about EACHOTHER. And everyone else, everyone knew. They were probably laughing at her about it behind those smiles they showed to her. All those half amused smiles.

Then her eyes fell around the office. Where she had...done that. Where she had given him the one thing that she had fought for hard enough in her old life that it had brought her to the Boarding House, to him. At that point she just couldn't take it anymore.

"No, enough of this. I'm leaving. I'm going to my Aunt's house. I can trust her. I don't need this."

He tried to stop her but before he could she disappeared from his office, melting away from sight. He tried to quickly follow but realized that she hadn't appeared on the front porch where she normally would have. He started out at a dead run, almost stepping on Spinel Sun who was strongly protecting her mistress. By the time he had run through the house she had already changed and was packing up whatever she could find into a duffel bag. He tried to reach over and stop her but she jerked away from him.

"NO! I'm leaving! All of you disgust me! You treated me like some sort of toy to play with, something to bet about behind the scenes. Well I won't play your games!"

"We didn't do that Tomoyo! You talk about trusting us but that doesn't show trust at all."

"Oh yeah, and all of you proved so aptly my trust was placed." She hit his hand as he tried to reach out to her again. "Get away from me! You disgust me because you are even worse than them! Here I was trying so hard to work for a relationship...confiding, ironically, in you. Is that why you never seemed surprised every time something big happened between us? You just knew it was coming! Ha! You are despicable and I'll be glad to be rid of you."

She pushed past him to her bed where the bag was laying nearly full. She shoved a few more clothes into it then zipped it up and turned to leave. However he was standing in front of her blocking her way.

"Let me go, Eriol!"

"No," he said in a frozen voice. When she looked at him closer she realized that he looked like he would break if touched. He looked so sad. She almost reached out to comfort him then realized what she was doing. He deserved it the bastard.

"I'm leaving! Get out of my way!"

"I'm not going to let you leave! I've waited too long for you to come to me. I waited over four hundred years for you, Tomoyo; I'm not going to wait for you again. I'm not going to lose you again."

"What are you talking about? You never had me!"

"That's why you aren't leaving! You belong with me! I've waited too long for you! I'm not going to let you just disappear again! Never!"

"Too bad!" she screamed as she tried to push past him.

But in an adult body he was much stronger than she was. And by then he had completely lost it. Gripping her arms fiercely he shoved her back onto the bed and covered her mouth in kisses. When she tried to shove him off he merely grabbed her hands and held them above her head in one of his own. His other hand he raked over her body, attempting to claim possession. His mind was so clouded that it took a few minutes before he realized that she was shaking. Finally he pulled back and saw that she was just crying, her eyes closed and her head turned to the side.

Suddenly he jerked back and looked at his own hands and at her. With dread he realized that in his anger what he had tried to do to her and instantly hated himself as much as she obviously did. And as he looked down at her in her uncontrollable sobs he realized that he just wanted to help her, even if it meant that she left him forever. Quietly he drew her up and into his arms. He brushed his fingers through her hair and tried to consol her.

"You're right, I'm despicable. You can leave whenever you want. I'm sorry, I'll help you leave. Just stop crying Tomoyo. You aren't a crier, Tomoyo. Shh..."

But as he spoke she just cried harder. He held her close to him, rocking back and forth until she finally collapsed in exhaustion. He picked her up and laid her carefully in her bed, covering her with the warm blankets and caressing her hair. After that Eriol started to leave, let her sleep alone and in peace, but he couldn't. He knew she would leave on the next day and he probably wouldn't see her for a very long time, if ever again. So he turned around at the door and looked at her for a long time, finally going to the bed and lying down beside her until he fell asleep.

Eriol woke up alone in her bed. He quickly looked around and saw that the bag she had hurriedly packed the night before was gone and her wardrobe was empty. He rushed through the house to the dining room where he found Mei Lin and Syaoran eating breakfast. When they turned and noticed him, both stopped eating.

"Oh my god. Does she know?"

"Yes."

"But...where is she?" Mei Lin asked, worriedly.

"She left."

Syaoran was furious. "What did you do to her?! Why would she leave so suddenly?"

"I didn't do anything to her, you brat," Eriol nearly yelled. But he knew he was lying. "Anyway, she said we had all been lying to her from the beginning and she couldn't stay in the same house with us anymore."

"We were? You were the lying bastard!"

"Oh and you ratted on me, Syaoran? You told her the truth as soon as you saw me?"

Syaoran got quiet and began to pick on his breakfast. Mei Lin looked on the point of tears, because she really had truly liked Tomoyo. She had known as well as the rest of them that she was good for Eriol who had been cold, hard and mean for so many years until he met her.

Into this silence, Sakura came into the room, surprising everyone else. But not as much as when she asked, "Why did Tomoyo-san wake me up to say goodbye?"

"What?" everyone asked at once.

Sakura looked scared for a moment. "Tomoyo-san came to my room an hour ago and told me that she was going back home but she wanted to say goodbye first. She asked me if there was anything I wanted my family to know and I told her. Then she gave me a hug and left." Sakura stopped and looked at the twenty something year old man with black hair and a troubled look. "Why are you big?"

Everyone looked at her in silence. They had temporarily forgotten that she was the only one who didn't know about his masquerade as a teacher.

"It's the age I take when I play Hiiragizawa Eriol," he replied, knowing full well that she would know about what had been going on if not necessarily who.

The young girl looked at him for a long moment then frowned as if she were reprimanding a small child. "That explains everything then. I'm going back to my room now."

And everyone watched in silence as she left the room as grandly as she had come. For a moment all they could do was sit and stare, then Syaoran started laughing.

"She's got you pegged, 'Hiiragizawa'."

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, I'm leaving. I'll let you know where I'm going once I get there. Probably Italy."

"But Eriol-sama, this is your home!"

"And you've been taking care of it quite grandly for almost as long as I've owned it. You can continue by yourself for a while longer."

She sighed but didn't argue and watched as he left the room as cold hearted as he had been three months earlier. No...more.

Aunt Nadeshiko was more than happy to have her niece back with her. She had fought to have Tomoyo live in her home since her sister had died so long ago. Especially since she brought news of her beloved daughter. If she was sad that her niece was now a lot quieter than she had been and a lot more mature than her age really should be, she knew that it was probably best not to interfere too much. But she couldn't help but hear when she cried herself to sleep.

For Christmas they drank hot chocolate and exchanged presents. Tomoyo tried her best to be happier and get over the immense hurt she was suffering for her Aunt and Uncle's sake but it was hard. She hated making them suffer with her but Tomoyo needed her aunt more than she ever had in her life. And so slowly by slowly she began to smile. She started a new school at the beginning of January, a less expensive school without a uniform. If people commented that she always wore black, it wasn't in a mean way. No one called her a Goth or made fun of her. She looked too mature and too sad for someone who was only sixteen. Instead people made friends with her and complimented her on her unique fashion statement.

Tomoyo appreciated it and was getting better. But she began to get the strange feeling that something was off. She didn't realize what it was until one day when she was meditating. Her purple aura that she had become so accustomed to wasn't only purple anymore. There was a tinge of pink to it. She didn't know what that was at first until she gave up and took a nap. While she dreamed she heard the sounds of a small child laughing. She heard herself laughing, saw a little girl held high up in the air.

When she woke her hands were over her abdomen and she knew the answer. At first she didn't understand. It had only been one time and she knew her cycle. It shouldn't have ended up with a baby. But there was no other reason. Tomoyo really didn't know what to do. She had just become a statistic, in a very weird and complicated way. Her first instinct was to go tell her Aunt Nadeshiko, but she knew that she couldn't give that burden to her aunt who had always loved her and who had without hesitation brought her into her home and welcomed her.

More than anything she couldn't tell Eriol. Nor did she really want to. But she did need help. But for the moment no one would know by looking at her and she had at least two months to figure something out before someone began to notice. Only two months to find an answer.

But also, for the first time in the month since she had left the Boarding House, she didn't cry herself to sleep. It might have hurt the baby.

It only took a month for her to realize what she had to do. She called Mistress. Mei Lin spent ten minutes apologizing to Tomoyo, most of which Tomoyo felt was deserved. But she also told her that Eriol had disappeared and hadn't returned since the day she had left. So they agreed that the following weekend Tomoyo should come and stay at the Boarding House and they would figure out what to do.

The next step was a bit harder. Tomoyo had to explain it to her Aunt Nadeshiko. She drew the older woman into her bedroom and told her what about everything with Mikkoku and Eriol and all that mess. She listened carefully and kindly but was a little more than slightly alarmed when Tomoyo explained that she was also pregnant. Tomoyo hated having to tell this woman she loved so much something that disappointed her so obviously. But her aunt understood and in her own way was happy for her niece. She couldn't help with the costs of a baby, since she already had a full family in addition to Tomoyo, but she could offer much needed emotional support. She also understood that it might be soon enough that Tomoyo would be leaving her behind again. But she understood and accepted this as well as she could.

That weekend Tomoyo used the familiar transportation spell to get to the Boarding House. Mistress Mei Lin met her at the door with a warm hug. Sakura and Syaoran were waiting behind her with tense looks and hopeful faces.

"I'm so sorry, Tomoyo-san. I should have told you sooner. But I didn't really think it was my place."

Tomoyo smiled at Syaoran. "It's okay. I forgave you two a long time ago."

"And Eriol-san?" Sakura asked. "What about him?"

"Not yet."

"And you were never angry at me, Tomoyo-san?"

"Never, Sakura-chan. Who could?"

The little girl ran up to her and hugged her tightly. "I didn't think so but I was worried. And now you are going to have a baby too! What do you think it is, boy or girl?"

"I think it's going to be a little girl."

"Can I be her older sister?"

Tomoyo smiled. "Nothing else would do. I also have letters from your family, Sakura-chan. And a few presents."

"Really? Yay!" the younger girl giggled excitedly.

They continued to talk lightly for an hour or so then Mistress drew Tomoyo into the Library to talk quietly between the two of them.

"I don't know what I can do for you emotionally, Tomoyo, but you can stay here. It's probably for the best."

"I don't want to see or talk to Eriol, Mei Lin-san. I can't handle that."

If Mistress looked a little saddened at the new title Tomoyo had bestowed upon her, she didn't say anything about it. "I will tell you if he plans to come back here. But before you came he rarely stayed here except for a few months every other year or so. And it is likely he won't be back for some time since these...unpleasant events have occurred here."

"Maybe. I will definitely need some place other than my aunts. And this does have ready resources doesn't it..." She sighed and leaned forward, head in hands. "I don't regret this child, Mei Lin-san, never think that. But I never wanted to be a mother, well by the time she's born, at seventeen." She sat up and looked out the window. "But then, I lost my carefree childhood when I came here didn't I?"

"I won't lie to you and say that you didn't. When you came here, no matter how unintentionally, you came as a student of the arts. You were no longer a child then."

"Ah well." She looked around at all the books. "I'll be using this library to finish my training. By the time my child is born I want to be fully in my powers. Or at least as much as anyone else is developed, Syaoran-san especially."

"I understand." Mistress reached out and grasped Tomoyo's hand. "Please stay here. You don't have to decide immediately, but this is your home. We love you here, no matter what you may think, and we can help you."

Tomoyo smiled and squeezed Mistress' hand in return. "I know. But my Aunt loves me too and I would like to stay with her for as long as I can. But please, just in case will you work it out with the school I was going to. If I come I'll be back in a couple weeks. After that I'll probably show."

"I'll see what I can do."

Three weeks later, Tomoyo found herself eating breakfast in the dining room almost as if she had never left. Except now Sakura ate breakfast with them every morning and now she usually only ate dry toast to help with the morning sickness. Apparently magickal babies gave more morning sickness than normal ones. A joyous thing.

Syaoran walked with her through the thick snow in front of their school and was constantly making sure she wasn't too cold.

"Why are you even IN school, Syaoran-san? You are far past the age where you need to."

"As silly as it sounds I try to go through High school once every two decades. That way I get a precursory education on everything in the normal world that I miss because I interact in it so little." He opened the doors for her. "For instance, I never knew about genetics until earlier this year. I am thinking that I need to start going to school more often because that is quite a leap from twenty years ago."

She looked at him with new found respect. "Why don't you go to college if you love learning so much?"

He laughed. "Because a professor or two might recognize me. I went to school with some of the best of them."

She laughed and stepped, reluctantly into class with him. 'Hiiragizawa-sensei' had been replaced with a female teacher who was cheerful and witty. Utterly likable. Syaoran explained to her that 'Eriol' had been excused from school for "emergency family situation" which called him overseas.

"But they miss him," he said during their free period. "He was one of their best teachers. He'd even taught here before so they understood that when he left he could usually be counted on to come back."

"I don't think I care anymore, Syaoran. But I'm glad that everyone here missed me."

"Especially Chiharu. She told me that you were the only one who she could talk to comfortably. That you always listened."

"She's very interesting, that's why."

"Well she was ecstatic when she heard you were coming back. Too bad she ended up being sick today."

"I'll see her tomorrow though."

"Speaking of which, you feeling better?"

"Just don't say anything remotely to do with food and I'll be fine. I can't wait for this to end."

"Don't worry. Just don't let anyone know you are knocked up. The school will probably kick you out. However, it's not likely since Mistress can use some of her own magick to make you look as perfect as you once were."

She hit him. "Flatterer. Just wait 'til Sakura-chan grows up. THAT is perfection."

He got a dreamy look in his eyes for a moment but turned back to her and sighed. "Yes, Sakura is going to be beautiful. But she has nothing on you, Tomoyo. But then you never will realize just how magnificently exquisitely beautiful you are."

Blushing bright red, Tomoyo turned from the window and went to go sit down. "Yeah, yeah."

"You are disgusting, Tomoyo, you know that?"

Tomoyo laughed at Mistress. "I can't help it! It's not like I'm not eating."

"But you are five months along and you don't even look like you are three months! Women everywhere are envious."

"But it's a good thing. This way I won't have to hide it for school."

"I don't even understand how you can go to school, come home and read till dinner, then read till bed time. You don't even sleep that much." She grabbed either shoulder. "Tomoyo, you are a mother now. Act like one. Be tired. Be hormonal. Stop being so perfect."

She laughed. "I can feel her moving you know. And feel her heart beat. It makes me feel all buoyant inside."

"Not even listening."

Tomoyo got quiet. "I am listening, Mei Lin-san, I really am. But I have to keep myself distracted. If I'm not distracted I think of him. And if I think of him I cry. And trust me that is hormonal and just not me."

"Do you want him back Tomoyo?"

"I love him, I really do. But all while I was loving him he was lying to me. I forgive him...but what will he do next? Can I really go back to trusting him?"

"He really loves you too, Tomoyo. I've known him for most of his life and I've never seen him like he was with you. He was completely a new person and loved the air you breathed. I'm not saying you have to take him back, but consider why he did it. Also know that he is hurting as much as you are."

Tomoyo smiled and nodded. "I will."

It was the first week of October when Tomoyo learned first hand how much the pains of birth were under exaggerated. She laboured for most of a full day before they gave up and performed a Caesarian section. Exhausted Tomoyo collapsed and slept for a few hours before she even got to see her child. But the moment the two laid eyes on each other it was love.

"It's funny, Syaoran-san," she said as she stared at the bundle in her arms while Syaoran sat beside her. The others had gone off to get drinks and find out when she was getting released, her Aunt included. "It's funny how much you can love someone you are meeting for the first time. Just one look and I loved her."

"Deja vu."

"What?"

"A year ago, this little one's father said almost that exact same phrase."

Tomoyo smiled quietly, sadly as she looked at her most precious person on the planet. But even she didn't know if she saw her new daughter or the man she'd abandoned.

"When are you going to tell him, Tomoyo-san?"

"I don't know."

"But you are going to, aren't you?"

"Some time. But I promise I will."

"What are you going to name her?"

"Hikari. I think it fits."

"I think it fits her perfectly."